We’ve seen some rather unlikely candidates for crazy recreations in recent years, all thanks to one word - Restomods. We are big, big fans of them here at Classic Driver, all of which possess levels of craftsmanship and innovation we could only dream of, and it seems world-renowned custom car builders Ringbrothers are stepping into the rowdy ring, with their take on a 1971 Aston Martin DBS, known as “OCTAVIA”.
Hot from the Quail, this fully bespoke commission marks Ringbrothers’ most advanced and striking build to date, as well as the brand’s first Aston Martin, and debut at Monterey Car Week. “OCTAVIA” was engineered to celebrate its icon status of British motoring, but modernised and reimagined in carbon fibre goodness. The original donor car underwent extensive modifications to showcase Ringbrothers’ signature automotive design, production and artistry, representing over 12,000 combined hours of engineering.
“It’s nearly impossible to convey all the intricacies that went into engineering this car. It pushed us to innovate beyond our comfort zone and create a moving mechanical work of art,” said Ringbrothers co-owner Mike Ring. “We’ve combined the ferocity of American muscle with the stiff upper lip of English sophistication and motoring. ‘OCTAVIA’ is beyond anything we’ve built before and a celebration of the hot-rodding spirit, unveiled on the grandest stage of them all.”
Designer Gary Ragle was instrumental in engineering countless details of the car, including the engine bay, complete interior a multitude of bespoke components, giving the Aston Martin a recognisable, and yet other-worldly appearance. Its track was widened by a whole eight inches at the front, and a staggering ten at the rear, creating a distinctive and muscular Coke-bottle curvature that hides a true beast under its hood. Lift the clamshell bonnet to find a Ford Performance-sourced 5.0-litre V8 engine, topped with a specially engineered Harrop Performance supercharger. Power wise, the team have quoted an outrageous 805-horsepower in its street tune, all being sent to an engaging six-speed manual gearbox.
The interior trim is similarly themed with a celebration of carbon-fibre. A plethora of 3D-printed stainless-steel accents guide your eyes around the cabin, with pleated leather and brass work aplenty. The “OCTAVIA” marks the first time that Gentex Corporation’s auto-dimming visors have ever been featured in a road car, along with a suite of cameras to rival even the finest developments from Q-Branch. Launch details are kept under wraps for now, but we can’t help but be blown away by the overall style and finish of this incredible recreation!
